Storing case for a multitude of lengthened objects



Aug. E951 A. REFSDAL STORING CASE FOR A MULTITUDE OF LENGTHENED OBJECTS- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 15, 1948 QW@ l #ga ug. 7, QS A, REFSDAL 2,553,368

STORING CASE FOR A MULTITUDE 0F LENGTHENED OBJECTS Filed Oct. l5, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 C i D x i l i Iy l l 4.053/77/77. E 1 .V I Pf L L. l

Patented Aug. 7, 1951 sToRING cAsE Foa A MULTITUDE oF LENGTHENED oJEcfrs Anlnn Refsdal, Lilleaker, Norway, assignor to Erling Slotfeldt Ellingsen, Oslo, Norway Application October 13, 1948, Serial No. 54,313 In Norway January 11, 1947 12 Claims. l

The invention relates to storing cases for a multitude of mutually different lengthened objects, such as drills, screw taps, broaches and the like of diierent dimensions.

Various constructions Aof such cases are known which are designed with a view to permitting rapid nding of the proper object to be removed.

Thus it is known to use boxes or frames, in which the objects are accommodated side by side in a row and are accessible on opening a cover, and in which the position for each object is provided 'with a discriminating sign, for example an indication of a dimension. However, such cases have a rather limited capacity if they shall not be of too great dimensions, and in practice they cannot be used for objects of small dimensions which cannot be gripped individually by the ngers without unreasonably large spacing. For this reason also other types have been constructed in which the objects are accommodated in bores arranged parallel to the axis and in axial planes and concentric cylinders in a cylindrical block located in an enclosing box having a rotatable cover in which a slide provided with a discharge opening can be placed within a radial slot, so that the opening can be moved into alinement of the desired bore by turning the cover and displacing the slide. However, these cases are cumbrous in handling because they require exact adjustment along two coordinates, and besides the space is not particularly well utilized if for example the objects are of greatly differing length. Further the production is rather expensive as it requires a great number of exact boring operations.

Also in the case according to the present invention the objects are accommodated in corresponding compartments which can be opened selectively for individual discharge or insertion of 'the objects by the displacement of a closing member transversely to the longitudinal direction thereof. But contrary to cases of the last mentioned known type, the compartments are arranged in a small number of groups, the compartments of each group extending substantially parallel to each other Iwith their openings at the same' end in the usual manner, whereas the end openings of the compartments of two or more dilerent groups are facing in dilerent directions and closed by one slide for each group.

Hereby the advantage is obtained that for the removal or insertion of one selected object only one single adjustment of the-appurtenant slide is necessary, and at the same time it-becomes possible by suitably grouping the objects and arranging the individual groups dependent on the size and number of the objects, to attain a very economical utilization of the space.

Further features will appear from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the casing, reference being had to the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a storing case according to the invention of flat rectangular shape with two slides partly withdrawn.

Figs. 2 and 3 are side and end views respectively.

Figs. 4 and 5 are cross sectional views along the lines IV-IV and V-V respectivelyv in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6 indicates the grouping of the compartments within the lower storey of the case.

The case illustrated is designed for accommodating objects, for example drills of all possible diameters from '7.0 mm. down to 0.5 mm. with a difference of 1% mm. and of correspondingly decreasing lengths. The compartments for receiving the drills are formed by providing an intermediate bottom l placed between the top portion 2 and bottom portion 3 of the enclosure with groups of parallel groove of which the radia and the distances from the top portion and the bottom portion respectively correspond to the radia of the individual drills.

The top portion 2 and the bottom portion 3 are formed by plane plates for example of metal, whereas the intermediate bottom I may conveniently, be pressed or molded oi a suitable material. Along the sides of the flat casing thus formed there areformed slides SA, SB, Se, SD and SE, which engage outwardly extending flanges of the plates 2 and 3 and thereby keep the latter together, and which thus form the side walls of the casing. The slides SA and SE overlie each other and can be displaced independently of each other, whereas the slides SB, Se and SD are each provided at one edge. The plates 2 and 3 are centered on the intermediate bottom I by lugs K2, K2 .and Ks, K3 respectively on the latter projecting through corresponding holes in the plates. The edge flanges of the plates each extend from one corner to a point at a certain distance from the other corner, thereby giving room for the slide at the adjacent edge so that each slide can be moved outwards from ,a position in which the rear end thereof engages an adjacent slide at one corner, to a position in which a pointer VA, VB, Vc, Vn or VE thereon abuts against another slide at the rear end of the latter at the other corner, when this latter slide is in its innermost position. To facilitate the displacement each slide is provided in its forward end with a iingergrip, which faces inwards on all the slides except on the slide SA,

where it faces outwards to give room for the displacement of By dash and dot lines in Figures 1 and 6 dividing walls are indicated, whereby the spaces above and beneath the intermediate bottom l are divided into sections A, B and F and sections C, D and E respectively. The grooves RA and RB within the sections A and B of the upper storey are dimensioned for receiving the largest drill sizes, from 7.0 mm. down to 6.3 mm. and from 6.2 mm. to 5.4 mm. respectively. The pointers VA and VB are located at the top of the casing substantially at the middle of the slides SA and SB at the shorter sides of the casing and are displaced over dials indicating the drill sizes. The dial lines are situated directly above the appurtenant groups RA and RB of which the former open to the right and the latter to the left in Fig. 1, which is indicated by the arrows PA and PB, which show the direction of insertion. Registering with the pointer VE and at the level of the compartments constituted by the grooves RA, an opening OA sufficiently large for permitting removal of the largest drills is formed in the slide SA. Thus by adjusting the slide SA so that the pointer VA registers with the corresponding dial mark, the opening OA can be made to register with the proper compartment for removal of the drill. In order that the slide SE shall not form a bar for the drills in section A, it is formed with an oblong slot UA, which in the innermost positicnof SE extends over the whole of this section. Similarly as by the slide SA removal of drills from section B is possible by displacing SB, which is formed with the opening OB.

The bottom side of the casing has not been shown, but similarly to the top side it is provided With graduations from 4.0 to 5.3 in section C, from 2.0 to 3.9 in section D and from 1.9 to 0.5 in section E, and the grooves Re, RD and RE `(the latter ones not shown) within these sections open towards the slides Sc, SD and Se respectively, as indicated by the arrows Pc, PD and PE so that removal is possible by displacing these slides, which are provided with corresponding openings Oo, OD and OE and with the pointers Vc, VD and Vs on the bottom side of the casing. To permit lthe removal from E the slide SA has an oblong slot UE.

In order to make it possible to see immediately whether the drills are in position in their respective compartments, the plate 2 is formed with oblique slots LA and LB (or windows if desired) over the sections A and B respectively, and similar slots (not shown) are formed in the plate 3 for the sections C, D and E.

Further, immediately above the grooves RA and RB calibre orices HA and HB are formed in the plate 2, which orices correspond to the respective drill diameters so that a preliminary test can be made by putting the drill into these holes for nding where it belongs before it is inserted in position. Similar calibre orifices are provided also in the plate 3 for the sections C, D and E.

As it will be understood, section E results from the fact that thevdrills in section D are somewhat shorter than the largest drill extending in the transverse direction of the casing, i. e. the drill of 4diameter 5.3 mm. in section C, which determines than the drill of diameter 7.0 mm. in section A,

which determines the length of the casing. The space F may conveniently be used for acoommo` dating a small screw driver, punchers or other small tools which it is practical to have at hand in connection with the drills. Section F may for example as indicated by arrow PF in Fig. 1 open to the right and may be made accessible by displacing the slides SA and SE in common. Or it may open towards Sn which inthat case may be combined with an additional slide similar to SE.

With the case illustrated it is possible to store a large multitude of drills or similar objects in a perspicuous way and with a minimum of occupied space and at the same time it is very easy to handle, because it is only required to make one single adjustment for each removal or insertion, and it is easy to ascertain Where a drill belongs. In addition the case consists of parts which may easily be produced at small costs and may be mounted very easily in a short time, as it is only required to place the intermediate bottom I in position between the plates 2 and 3 and then to thread the slides on, which will thereafter keep the plates in position, conveniently with a certain resilient pressure.

It will be understood that the invention may be carried out in many other ways than that shown. Thus the number and the grouping of sections used may be adapted according to the number of the objects and to the rate of variation of the dimensions, and if desired instead of two storeys only one storey or three or more storeys may be provided. When using one or more intermediate bottoms it is possible to make these bottoms plane on one or both sides and form the opposite face, for example the inner side of the top or bottom portion of the casing, with grooves or the like, and in fact it is not essential either to use casings of rectangular shape even though this is very practical for example for the use for which the illustrated embodiment is intended.

I claim:

1. A two-storey case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising a substantially rectangular structure having liat top and bottom surfaces and side edges I. and having interior surfaces confining in one storey two groups of aligning compartments, each group opening through one of two opposite side edges and in a second storey, two further groups Vsubstantially at right angles to the rst-mentioned groups and each group opening through one of the remaining side edges of said structure, a slidable cover for each of said groups, each of .said covers having a discharge hole and being mounted on the corresponding side edge and adapted to be moved along the same so as to make said hole register with one of the compartments of the group at a time while covering the rest and registering means on said structure and said covers for indicating the compartments opened by said covers in different positions thereof.

2. A case for storing a multitude of mutually diierent objects of a, lengthened shape, comprising a substantially rectangular structure having flat top and bottom surfaces and side edges and having interior surfaces conning a first group of aligning compartments opening through a. side edge of said structure and further confining a second group of aligning compartments at a different level from that of said first group and opening through the same side edge, and two superposed perforated slideable covers each for one of said groups and mounted on said side edge, each of said covers having a discharge hole and being adapted in a retracted position of the other to be moved along said edge for opening one of the compartments of its respective group at a time while covering the rest, and having a second, oblong hole which in a retracted position of the cover registers with the compartments of the respective other group.

3. A two-storey case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape comprising a substantially rectangular structure having flat top and bottom surfaces and side edges and having interior surfaces conning in one storey two groups of aligning compartments, each group opening through one of two opposite side edges and in a second storey, two further groups substantially at right angles to the rst-mentioned groups and each group opening through one of the remaining side edges of said structure, and a slidable cover for each of said groups, each of said covers having a discharge hole and being mounted on the corresponding side edge and adapted to be moved along the same so as to make said hole register with one of the compartments of the group at a time while covering the rest.

4. A case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising a substantially rectangular structure having ilat top and bottom surfaces and side edges and having interior surfaces confining a rst group of aligning compartments opening through a rst side edge and further confining a second group of aligning compartments opening through a second side edge of said structure, said second side edge extending substantially at right angles to said first side edge, and a slidable cover for each of said groups, each of said covers having a discharge hole and being mounted on the corresponding side edge and adapted to be moved along the same so as to make said hole register with one of the compartments of the group at a time while covering the rest, said covers having cooperating stopping surfaces preventing movement of one of the covers past a retracted position.

5. A two-storey case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising a substantially rectangular structure having flat top and bottom surfaces and side edges and having interior surfaces confining in one storey two groups of aligning compartments, each group opening through one of two opposite sideedges and in e, second storey, two further groups substantially at right angles to the rstmentioned groups and each group opening through one of the remaining side edges of said structure, and a slidable cover for each of said groups, each of said covers having a discharge hole and being mounted on the corresponding side edge and adapted to be moved along the same so as to make said hole register with one of the compartments of the group at a time while covering the rest, of which covers each two adjacent covers have co-operating stopping surfaces preventing movement of one of the two past e, retracted position.

6. A two-storey case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising superposed plate members constituting a substantially rectangular structure and having opposed surfaces confining in one storey two groups of aligning compartments, each group opening through one of two opposite side edges and in a second storey, two further groups substantially at right angles to the first-mentioned groups and each group opening through one of the remaining side edges of said structure, a cover for each of said side edges, guiding ledges for said covers on the uppermost and lowermost of said plate members along the sides thereof, and 'anges on said covers engaging said ledges thereby keeping said plate members together and' holding said covers slidably thereon, each of said covers being adapted when moved along the respective side edge to open one of the compartments of the respective group at a time while covering the rest.

'7. A case for storingva multitude of mutally different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising superposed plate members constituting a substantially rectangular structure and having opposed surfaces conning groups of aligning compartments, the compartments of each of a plurality of said groups opening through a different side edge of said structure, a cover for each of said side edges, guiding ledges for said covers on the uppermost and lowermost of said plate members along the sides thereof, flanges on said covers engaging said ledges thereby keeping said plate members together and holding said covers slidably thereon, each of said covers being adapted when moved along the respective side edge to open one of the compartments of the respective group at a time while covering the rest, dial means on said structure and a pointer registering therewith on each of said covers for indicating the compartments opened by the cover in different positions thereof, each of said covers having a retracted position and one of said covers being in that position situated with its rear end in the path of the pointer of the other so as to limit forward movement of the latter.

8. A case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising superposed plate members constituting a substantially rectangular structure and having opposed surfaces conflning groups of aligning compartments, the compartments of each of a plurality of said groups opening through a different side edge of said structure, a cover for each of said side edges, guiding ledges for said covers on the uppermost and lowermost of said plate members along the sides thereof, and flanges on said covers engaging said ledges thereby keeping said plate members together andholding said covers slidably thereon, each of said covers being adapted when moved along the respective side edge to open one of the compartments of the respective group at a time while covering the rest, of which covers each two adjacent covers have cooperating stopping surfaces preventing movement of one of the two past a retracted position.

9. A case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising superposed plate members constituting a substantially rectangular structure and having opposed surfaces conning groups of aligning compartments, the compartments of each of a plurality of said groups opening through a different side edge of said structure, a cover for each of said side edges, guiding ledges for said covers on the uppermost and lowermost of said plate members along the sides thereof, flanges on said covers engaging said ledges thereby keeping said plate members together and holding said covers slidably thereon, each of said covers being adapted when moved along the respective side edge to open one of the compartments of the respective group at a time while covering the rest, of which covers each two adjacent covers have co-operating stopping surfaces preventing movement of one of the two past a retracted position and registering means on said structure and said covers for indicating the compartments opened by said covers in different positions thereof.

aseasee 10. A case for storing a multitude of mutually .different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising superposed plate members constituting a substantially rectangular structure and having opposed surfaces confining groups of aligning compartments, the compartments of each of a plurality of said groups opening through a different side edge of said structure, a cover for each of said side edges, guiding ledges for said covers on the uppermost and lowermost of said plate 4members along the sides thereof, flanges on said covers engaging said ledges thereby keeping said plate memberstogether and holding said covers slidably thereon, each of said covers being adapted when moved along the respective side edge toopen one of the compartments of the respective group at a time while covering the rest, of which covers each two adjacent covers haveco-operating stopping surfaces preventing movement of one of the two past a retracted position, dial means on said structure and a pointer registering therewith on each of said covers for indicating the compartments opened by the cover in different positions thereof, each of said covers having a retracted position and one of said covers being in that position situated with its rear end in the path of the pointer of the other so as to limit forward movement of the latter.

11. A two-storey case for storing a multitude of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape and of different cross section, comprising a substantially rectangular structure having flat top charge hole and being mounted on the corresponding side edge and adapted to be moved along the same so as to make said hole register with one of the compartments of the group at a time while covering the rest. 12. A two-storey case for storing a multitud of mutually different objects of a lengthened shape, comprising a substantially rectangular structure having flat top and bottom surfaces and side edges and having interior surfaces coniining in one storey two groups of aligning compartments, each group opening through one of two opposite side edges and in a second storey, two further groups substantially at right angles to the first-mentioned groups and each group opening through one of the remaining side edges of said structure, said structure having top side openings for inspection of said compartments, and a slidable cover for each of said groups, each of said covers having a discharge hole and being mounted on the corresponding side edge and adapted to be moved along the same so as to make said hole register with one of the compartments of the group at a time while covering the rest.

ANFINN REFSDAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 357,006 v Hoffmann Feb. l, 1887 673,083 Mato Apr. 30, 1901 1,024,338 Bartlett Apr. 23, 1912 1,286,810 Sheppard Dec. 3, 1918 1,350,294 Brown et al Aug. 24, 1920 1,724,735 Selbach Aug. 13, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 10,716 Great Britain 1884 

